Fate of the World
Fate of the World is the tenth chapter of Overture V and the final chapter of the numbered Overtures. This chapter showed the return of Puhdas Herra and her decision to bring judgment onto the world of Neuro. Synopsis After she was banished to the Void by her brother, Puhdas began the arduous journey out of it. Emergence The New Mantle gathered at the site of Puhdas' defeat and Artheemius' rise to power, the tower of Uroloth. The ground shook and golden glyphs appeared in the ground as Puhdas approached the world of life. When Puhdas emerged, the New Mantle informed her of the fate of her brother and got an unexpected reaction, fury. Puhdas charged the group and the world with being a far too violent breed and declared it was time for judgment to come onto the land. Puhdas told the group they were to make a decision that would change the fate of the world. Puhdas gave the group the decision to choose one of the four races to survive, the other three would be purged from the world, allowing peace to come back onto the land. Puhdas gave the group and old sea map to an unheard of island and departed, giving the group a week to make the decision. Between a Rock and a Hard Place The New Mantle, being face with a decision with so much weight found itself unsure what to do. Most agreed that Puhdas was wrong and the fight should be brought to her to secure the lives of all four races; they had killed one god, why not another? However, others, including Sage Reinhardt argued that if Puhdas was dueled and she managed to win, the whole world could be killed as a result. Against Sage's advice, the New Mantle agreed to fight Puhdas. They would win and save the world or die fighting. Isle of the End Upon arrival on the End Isle by airship, the New Mantle was greeted by a golden suit of armor which was called a Golden Guardian, a guard of Puhdas Herra. The Golden Guardian informed the group it would need to collect four fragments of a keystone in order to see Puhdas. The Golden Guardian tasked the group with mundane tasks such as beating him in a footrace and playing hide-and-seek. Lionel Braveheart managed to outsmart the Guardian and the gold clad figure revealed himself as the Golden Guardian of Deception. Now that the group knew each Guardian had a theme, the New Mantle was more equipped to deal with them. The Golden Guardians The next Guardian told the group that one of their number would need to sacrifice themselves in order to move on. Luna Layne volunteered herself and the after being buried and assumed dead, the Guardian dug her up and proclaimed she had passed his test. This Guardian was the Guardian of Courage and it gave the group a fragment of the keystone. The next Guardian ordered the group to climb a tall tree. No one in the group was able to do it, and many gave up, convinced this was a test of knowing when to give up. Valandil Singollo never gave up and won the group their next fragment. This Guardian was the Guardian of Perseverance. The next Guardian immediately revealed himself as the Guardian of Combat. This Guardian was beat in some simple feats of strength and in a battle, netting the group the last piece of the keystone. Now it was time to face Puhdas. Puhdas Keep The group used the Keystone to unlock the door to a peculiar looking keep. Inside the group followed a long corridor filled with endless amounts of zombie and skeletal archers. The artificial construct, Contrivion aided the group by sending in powerful iron golems. After battling hundreds of the monsters, the New Mantle arrived at Puhdas' doorstep and were let in by the Goddess herself. Fate of the World Puhdas asked the group which race they had chosen and when told they had not chosen a race, Puhdas was more than willing to battle them. Puhdas meditated for a bit then the fight began. The New Mantle pooled together all their power, Cuideag's and Lilith's magic, Valandil's strength, and Bravehearts cunning and brought it against Puhdas. In a glorious battle, Puhdas was defeated at the hands of the New Mantle, now it was time to see the fate of the world. No Gods, No Masters Puhdas revealed the group had made the right choice in choosing to unite against her, recanting the words of Ravencaster's prophecy, “Unity is Key”. Puhdas went on further to inform the group the four Guardians tasks was all part of a test that members of the Mantle took. Puhdas officially dubbed the group the New Mantle and tasked them with defending the world after she took her leave. Puhdas declared that their kin, the kin of their kin, and so on would become the defenders of the world. Puhdas hinted at the future, forecasting the events of the New Naturellian Colony. Puhdas left the world then, leaving the New Mantle victorious and now in charge of their own fates and the people of Neuro in charge of the fate of their world. Final The New Mantle had triumphed over Puhdas. They were victorious at last. Valandil Singollo led the Snakes just as he had done before. He lived a long and ripe life, respected by all. Oliver Bartin became the greatest lute player in the land. While not officially a god, he did become known as the "God of Music." Lilith was forever remembered as an example of what one can do when your mind is set to it. Luna Layne, wife of Arnold Layne, started a family with the man. In her later years, Luna would write stories of the New Mantle, stories that changed the world. Cuideag, having put the dark parts of his past behind him, came to accept himself. No one knows where Cuideag ended up, but stories speak of the man who went searching for the remnants of Carnetrada. Lionel Braveheart, the man behind the mask. Much can be said of him, the secrets, the lies. Some say he became King of Naturelles; others say he died alone in an alley. Guugar Burger took the world by storm. No one could resist the taste of his burgers. Katzi raised her daughter into a fine woman even if she was a bit unorthodox. She eventually got over the death of Hilden. Yuki was forever remembered as a member of the group that saved the world. Drake was remembered as the sole casualty in the fight against Puhdas. Zephlo Wyldeheart was a successful councilman. Many nominated him for king but he refused, for he had seen the corruption of the previous king. Eventually, he would get back together with his wife. Cor'ag Sharvac, who had refused to fight Puhdas, was still remembered as a fine hero. In time, his Fraggor Manus would surpass even Sage Reinheardt's. He never found love again. The heroes of the New Mantle became figures of legends, the tales of their heroics persisting throughout the ages. And not just Neuro, the the entire world found itself in charge of its own destiny. All was well. Category:Overture 5 Category:Sagas